Reference librarian vs cataloger

The differences between reference librarians and catalogers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a reference librarian and a cataloger. Additionally, a reference librarian has an average salary of $50,409, which is higher than the $34,943 average annual salary of a cataloger.

The top three skills for a reference librarian include reference services, library patrons and collection development. The most important skills for a cataloger are library catalog, RDA, and cataloging.

Reference librarian vs cataloger overview

	Reference Librarian	Cataloger
Yearly salary	$50,409	$34,943
Hourly rate	$24.24	$16.80
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	1,058	93
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	2	2

Reference librarian vs cataloger salary

Reference librarians and catalogers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Reference Librarian	Cataloger
Average salary	$50,409	$34,943
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $70,000	Between $23,000 And $52,000
Highest paying City	Anchorage, AK	New Haven, CT
Highest paying state	Alaska	Alaska
Best paying company	Yale University	Harvard University
Best paying industry	Education	Education

Differences between reference librarian and cataloger education

There are a few differences between a reference librarian and a cataloger in terms of educational background:

	Reference Librarian	Cataloger
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common major	Library Science	History
Most common college	New York University	University of Maryland - College Park

Reference librarian vs cataloger demographics

Here are the differences between reference librarians' and catalogers' demographics:

	Reference Librarian	Cataloger
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7%	Male, 37.9% Female, 62.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 4.9% White, 76.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 4.9% White, 77.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between reference librarian and cataloger duties and responsibilities

Reference librarian example responsibilities.

Achieve proficiency cataloging electronic materials (audio records, video recordings, and streaming video) and continuing resources/serials.
Coordinate inter-library loan service, using OCLC searches to loan and borrow books and periodicals.
Perform reference and readers' advisory for patrons and staff via telephone, IM, email, and in person.
Perform copy-cataloging operations using OCLC database and online databases.
Maintain responsibility for collection management of the adult non-fiction collection.
Instigate student-librarian relationships and increase library productivity by regularly mentoring students in legal research, writing, and study methods.

Cataloger example responsibilities.

Manage category of materials: including books, CDs, films and other documents.
Assign subject headings using LCSH.
Cataloge books and serials for all the school district libraries.
Master the use of cataloguing resources such as WorldCat and HomeBase.
Assist librarians in other EPA libraries with the conversion of their serials list.
Assign LCSH and LCC, as well as a local classification system for legal treatises.

Reference librarian vs cataloger skills

Common reference librarian skills

Reference Services, 11%
Library Patrons, 9%
Collection Development, 9%
Library Services, 7%
Research Guides, 6%
Reference Desk, 4%

Common cataloger skills

Library Catalog, 13%
RDA, 11%
Cataloging, 11%
OCLC, 8%
Online Database, 8%
Lcsh, 6%

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Reference Librarian
Reference Librarian vs Cataloger

Updated January 8, 2025

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